Seeing Destiny
by Maeve Bran
Summary: Angel and Buffy's conversation in the graveyard after burying Joyce.


**Title**: Seeing Destiny 

**Author**: Maeve Bran

**Rating**: K+

**Summary**: Angel and Buffy's conversation in the graveyard after burying Joyce.

**Still My Girl Prompt**: He's never really seen me for what I really am.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Buffy or Angel.

* * *

Buffy stood staring at the grave as the sun set. Darkness fell and a hand slipped into hers. She knew who it was before she turned to see him.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't come sooner," Angel said as a greeting.

Someone must have called and told him, probably Willow. Just knowing he had come from LA gave her a measure of peace. She turned to him and he opened his arms. She moved into his embrace and started to cry as he held her.

When the tears had stopped flowing, she eased back and he let her go. "Thanks, Angel," Buffy said. "I'm glad you came."

"You know I'll always be here when you need me." Angel said, then he hemmed and hawed. "Why isn't Finn here?"

Buffy looked at Angel, a little stunned, and then realized that, however he got the news from Sunnydale, he wasn't completely informed on all the events in her life.

"He left me a few weeks ago," Buffy stated simply. "Look, if we're going to catch up, why don't we have a seat over there under the tree?"

"Sure." Angel took her hand as they walked over and sat down. She curled up to his side and his arm went around her.

"We had been having problems, but the thing that took the cake was when Spike took me to see what was really going on."

"Spike is here? Again?" Angel said incredulously.

"Yeah, the Initiative put a chip in his head so he can't hurt humans, so he has been helping out even though he has no soul. He has declared his undying love for me. Can you believe that?" Buffy said, almost laughing.

"William has always had it bad for the ones he can't have," Angel said ruefully as tried to absorb the idea of the blonde vampire loving the slayer. "So, back to Finn. What was really going on?"

"He was visiting vampire whores and letting them suck his blood. He claimed to be trying to see what the attraction was." Buffy stared off into space.

"Oh," Angel said, not knowing what else to say.

"He always had trouble getting past our past. I think he was jealous of you, Angel. I never told you this, but after he met you he assumed you had gone evil again," Buffy started.

"He thought you had come to LA and that we had . . ." Angel started incredulously.

"Yep. He was so very jealous it wasn't funny. Xander had just explained what exactly had caused you to revert Angelus that time and he thought I went to LA to relive my past. As if I'd risk reliving that moment of my past," Buffy scoffed.

"That is a moment that I never want to relive, Buffy. I don't ever want to hurt you like that. If ever I become Angelus around you, stake me. No hesitation, just stake me and put us both out of our misery," Angel said seriously.

"I'll stake you, but only if Willow isn't around with an Orb of Thesulah," Buffy agreed.

"If Willow is around and ready, then no staking," Angel agreed. "I'm sorry our past broke up you and Finn."

"It wasn't just that. He never really saw me for what I really am. I'm the Slayer, not just a normal girl, and my past is complicated. He never liked the fact that I could wipe the floor with him or that I had more experience with demon hunting or the fact that my ex was a vampire. I think he still had it in his head that I was a 'little lady' that needed protecting," Buffy ruminated.

"You never have needed protecting," Angel agreed. "Well except from Angelus. But even then not much."

"You've always seen me for what I am. I'm grateful for that," Buffy said. "No matter what, you've seen me as I am. Why is that?"

"You're my soul mate. I've lived along while and seen a lot of things. I know exactly what you are. You're a Slayer and my destiny. If I didn't believe that, I wouldn't have been here when you got here," Angel stated simply.

"How? Why? What?" asked a confused Buffy.

"I told you two years ago that I saw you called," he said.

Buffy nodded.

"Whistler had found me eating rats in New York and almost starving. He told me that my destiny could go either way, but that I needed to come to California and see you. I saw you called and I saw you at home when your were parents fighting. I knew then I wanted to help you and that you were my destiny. So how can I not see who you really are?" Angel whispered the last.

Buffy looked up and snuggled a little closer to him. "Thank you, Angel. You say the sweetest things and they are more dear because you really mean them." Buffy sighed. "I just want to rest here and bask in your presence."

And that was what she did, until just before dawn.

(fin)


End file.
